I’ve recently cleared out an overgrown corner, down under an old apple tree, one of those jobs where you convince yourself there is all manner of wildlife living in there when of course there’s nothing of the sort.
It’s a shady area but with different types of shade although I might be overthinking this in terms of replanting. There is a constant shade that’s very mossy and always damp and there is dappled shade and areas that are occasionally in the afternoon sun. This makes choosing shade loving plants tricky.
Camellia actually enjoy shade in the morning to avoid sun damage on frosted flowers so that’s an easy selection. C. japonica and C williamsii are even more shade tolerant than some other camellias and the waxy dark green leaves will add to the gothic atmosphere down there over winter. Other shrubs react like Dracula to even the slightest beam of light so its back to the reliable old stagers like ‘Choisyaternata’ (Mexican orange blossom) with its scented white flowers that if you’re lucky will randomly come out throughout the summer as well as throughout June.
‘Mahonia aquifolium’ works wonders for colour in deep shade with deep green leaves so shiny you’d swear they've had a wax and polish. Whilst it’s tempting to put larger plants and shrubs in the shady gaps, try and sidestep that as there can be tree roots that compete for the same source of nutrients so smaller ones generally survive longer. With that in mind you'll need to keep adding rotted material in the same way you do on the veg patch.
Hosta crispula has large variegated leaves that stands out given its cream edging. Placing coffee grounds around it will message the slugs and snails they are not welcome and it adds to the hummus rich environment. Fortunately they are easy to get hold of free of charge from most coffee shops these days. Who doesn't love something for free!
On the Plot
Now that seedlings are starting to establish and be planted in their final places then it’s time to look after what you ve been nurturing from seed. Potatoes need earthing up now by drawing some soil up from their sides to cover emerging shoots. Keep an eye on them and continue this process so that all tubers are covered up. If not they turn green and become poisonous.
Strawberries need protection now too. Just push some straw under them so they don’t rot on wet ground and that the dreaded slugs don’t munch through your whole crop. As soon as you see the first green berry, get the netting out because you can guarantee you're not the only one to notice it! You can also use horticultural fleece if you’re worried about birds getting caught in the netting.
Remove any runners because you want all the plant's energy to be redirected into fruit production and not the long spindly weed-like arms we’re forever weeding out of other plants stems. Whilst on the topic of fruit, get amongst the raspberry canes and prune out unwanted canes. Too often, and I include myself in this, they are allowed to grow into thick, crowded clumps that suck energy away from fruit production when they are hungry plants anyway. They will also benefit greatly from more light and air coming in which increases ripening and reduces the potential for disease.
Generally stroll around with a mug of tea, checking on things and intervening where necessary to prevent weeds from establishing. Interestingly (or boringly) enough, I'm forever removing Herb Robert, the wild geranium weed that seems to grow to the size of my hand overnight from every bed. Yesterday I saw it for sale in a garden centre where it was growing wild in the car park. Whatever next!
